The History of the Pyrates. Vol. II.: Containing the lives of Captain Misson, Captain Bowen, Captain Kidd, Captain Tew, Captain Halsey, Captain White, Captain Condent, Captain Bellamy, Captain Fly, Captain Howard, Captain Lewis, Captain Cornelius, Captain Williams, Captain Burgess, Captain North, and their several crewsDefoe, Daniel
History
The History of the Pyrates. Vol. II.: Containing the lives of Captain Misson, Captain Bowen, Captain Kidd, Captain Tew, Captain Halsey, Captain White, Captain Condent, Captain Bellamy, Captain Fly, Captain Howard, Captain Lewis, Captain Cornelius, Captain Williams, Captain Burgess, Captain North, and their several crews
Defoe, Daniel
Pirates -- Early works to 1800
The _Accabo_ seemed mightily pleased with his Willingness, and asked him
if he should want any to assist him? He answered he should, and desired
eight Persons to be employed in Spinning, and six in Knitting. These
People were to follow his Directions, accordingly they fell to Work,
and, in the Space of two Months, finished a Net eighty Fathom long.
When it was finished the _Accabo_ himself had a Mind to see what Effect
it would have beyond their own Nets; accordingly he went on board one of
their Junks, attended by his Favourites, having with him also several of
their most experienced Fishermen: They had the good Luck to take a good
Number of Fish the first Hawl, among which were several Sorts they had
never before seen, being such Fish as will not take the Hook, and such
as always keep deep in the Water. The _Accabo_ appeared highly contented
with this Success, and ordered several more of them to be made, which
could be done without him now that he had shewn them a Way, so that Fish
soon became infinitely more plenty than ever it had been before.
The Molotto expected no less than to be rewarded with some extraordinary
Recompence for the publick Services; the least Favour he thought could
be granted him would be to give him the Liberty of a Freeman, and to let
him live as an Inhabitant of the City, and to get his living amongst
them, by any Sort of Industry he could; but he found himself greatly
mistaken, for all his Reward consisted in being sent back to the
_Moorzacks_, upon the same Foot he had been before.
It is true, he passed his Time here with a great deal of Tranquility,
and began to reconcile himself to the Thoughts of remaining there his
whole Life, he was convinced that nothing he could do to ingratiate
himself, would procure him any Favour or Liberty; and an Accident fell
out which gave him a terrible Notion of their Severity: One of the
_Passaus_ or Guards, on a Night when it was not his Turn to be upon the
Watch, went privately into the City, contrary to Orders, and returned
again before it was Day, but not so privately but he was seen by some
Person, who went and discovered it to the _Accabo_; the Consequence of
which was, that he was sent for under a Guard the next Morning, and,
being brought into the King's Presence, was, without any more Ceremony,
executed in the following Manner: He was obliged to kneel down, leaning
his Head forwards, whilst the Executioner, with a heavy Bar of Timber,
struck him on the lower part of his Head, and beat out his Brains.
This Example so terrified the poor Molotto, that in fifteen Years he was
in that Place he never ventured beyond the Limits, except when he was
sent for by the _Accabo_, or to attend a Burial, which he was obliged to
do when any of the _Passaus_ or Guards died, for they were not buried
among the _Moorzacks_, no more than any of the other of the common
People.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account